England

Police in England and Wales are no longer interested in catching scammers and con artists, a top fraud lawyer has claimed. Clare Montgomery KC, of Matrix Chambers, said she did not believe police “have any interest in prosecuting fraud anywhere”.

The poor state of courthouse buildings in England and Wales is contributing to the courts backlog with cases delayed due to leaking roofs and broken heating systems, according to new research. Around two-thirds (64 per cent) of solicitors surveyed by the Law Society of England and Wales had experien

Aria Grace Law has become the first corporate law firm in the UK to become a community interest company (CIC) to lock in its commitment to donating all profits to charity. The firm, which is attracting an increasing number of big-name lawyers, is underpinned by a commitment to share the wealth betwe

The first public parole hearing in UK history is set to go ahead today following reforms to increase transparency and improve victims’ experience of the parole system. Convicted murderer Russell Causley, who killed his wife Carole Packman in 1985, will become the first prisoner to have a publi

English prosecutors have dropped a case against a 25-year-old woman accused of illegally procuring an abortion. The woman was reported to police after she underwent an emergency caesarean section 31 weeks into her pregnancy and was found to have evidence of abortion pills in her system.

Retired judges have been recruited to address the soaring court backlog in England and Wales. The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett of Maldon, has authorised the recruitment of 65 retired judges to deal with cases. The judges, half of whom are in their 70s, will aid in the effort to reduce the backlo

American law firms in London demand 12-hour work days from junior solicitors, a survey has shown.

It will take over 125 years for black people to be properly represented in the judiciary, the Law Society of England and Wales has said. Research by the society found that it would take until the year 2149 for the representation of black people to match their presence in the general population.

Women barristers in England and Wales earn almost 35 per cent less than men in the profession, figures from the Bar Council show. Men earned on average about £86,000 annually in fee income. For women, the figure was a mere £57,000.

Property lawyers have been urged to prepare for a housing market crash similar to that seen in 2007 and 2008. England and Wales' Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which regulates conveyancing firms, has recommended solicitors prepare for a 40 per cent fall in deals.

The Law Society of England and Wales's new president has said criminal lawyers should refuse work for which they are not properly remunerated as they demand a 15 per cent increase in legal aid fees, in line with barristers. Lubna Shuja's appointment comes as solicitors have been offered a nine per c

Men should refrain from discussing sport and "opera" in the workplace to avoid excluding women and minorities, according to an English judge. Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos, said that conversations at work dominated by such discussions could prevent women and ethnic-minority people from takin

A new report has found that the judiciary in England and Wales is “institutionally racist”. The study, undertaken by the University of Manchester and barrister Keir Monteith KC, found that judicial discrimination was directed particularly towards black court users — be they lawyers

A memorial in a church dedicated to an 18th century slave owner who was "instrumental in quelling" a slave uprising in Jamaica has been deemed racist and offensive and should be removed. The Consistory Court of the Diocese of Salisbury has granted a faculty permitting the removal of the memorial to

Irish barrister Mark O'Brien O'Reilly has joined London barristers' set Francis Taylor Building (FTB) following the completion of his 12-month pupillage. FTB is a barristers' chambers specialising in planning, environmental and public law.